Mariam Nihal Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Like the famous words of Ansel Adams “You don't take a photograph, you make it” Ahmed Mater proves the classic right. Mater is a renowned name in the contemporary Saudi art scene with a contestable bibliography. His photographs have been exhibited worldwide and even been compiled in a book. In fact, the landscape photographer and doctor is synonymous with his flourishing art initiative “Edge of Arabia.” He was born in Tabuk, northern Saudi Arabia, in a military base. “My father was a soldier in the Saudi army,” Mater explained to Saudi Gazette. “But I grew up in a small mountain village called Rijal Alma in far southern Saudi Arabia region of Aseer where my mother introduced me to ethnic décor art unique to the region, as women there were responsible for decorating their homes.” Mater said Southern Saudi Arabia values the art of poetry, creativity and crafts work. “These are very important and they shaped my early appreciation for art.” He graduated from medical school in 2005 as a general surgeon, and has been working as a family and community doctor ever since, while pursuing his passion for photography. He said being a medical doctor inspires him on a daily basis as an artist. “Meeting people every day and talking to them is an essential part of developing my artwork. I am also inspired by traditional folklore Yemini music from the Asir region (south of Arabia), and the first photographer of Makkah, Abdul Ghaffar Al Baghdadi. ‘Cities of Salt' by Abdelrahman Munif, is one of my favorite novels and a major inspiration for me.” Mater believes to reproduce reality from an existing reality is integral to the work of an artist. “My hometown village, Rijal Alam, on the mountains of Abha, 3,000 meters above the sea level is the most inspirational place. Where life there is more rural, real, and connected to nature.” Mater participated in Ashkal Alwan's Home Works 6 exhibition in Beirut. At Athr Gallery, Mater's two installations of video artworks are part of the current exhibition until June 13, titled Video (works) that showcases an entire exhibition dedicated to video artworks by Arab and international artists. Mater will be a part of international museum participation in Europe and the GCC, such the as Hajj exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Hajj exhibition at the Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, also Echoes of Islam, a group exhibition of Islamic art at the Nelson-Atkins museum in Missouri, US. “All are opening later in 2013 with more exhibitions in the making for 2014,” Mater said. He will be presenting eight photographic prints derived from his ongoing “Desert Of Pharan” series, curated by Robert Kluijver at Sharjah Biennial under the direction of the Sharjah Art Foundation. The series will also be featured in Athr Gallery's installation at Art Dubai 2013. He is one of only two Saudi artists to be included in the British Museum's “Word into Art” exhibition for the Sharjah Biennial 2007. In ‘Desert Of Pharan' Matar portrays his vision and showcases the primary shifts and evolution of Makkah, the holy city of Islam that is also a significant 21st century metropolis. Discussing the roles of artists in Saudi Arabia, he said the role or expression of an artist is the same in any environment. “I do not believe art is different now in Saudi or outside.” He said perhaps the role of contemporary art has taken longer to cement in Saudi than other countries, but it is getting there. Talking about the unfavorable side of the art world, he said he disliked developing the art scene as a strictly commercial commodity, where the art language and aesthetics transform into identifiable inflexible brands. Mater pursues themes that are close to him. “The themes of my artworks are personal interpretations of what I am experiencing at that particular time. My artworks are a result of a conversation between my thoughts and what I see.” He enjoys films, long features and video artworks. He said he is interested in the narrative and visual aspects where photography also plays a part, as it is a set from the “film”. Mater advised aspiring artists from Saudi Arabia to follow their instincts, and be more confident. “Do not think of art as a beautiful object, but rather as a statement.” When asked why art, he replied: “If I knew the answer, I would probably quit art.”
